Bio

Charles Franklin Smith was born on September 28, 1942, in Coos County, Oregon. Little is known about his early childhood or family life, but he grew up in a typical American setting. He later married Alice Lydia Smith and they had a daughter together. Their marriage lasted for ten years.

As an adult, Charles struggled with alcohol addiction. This led him to undergo therapy at the Coos County Correctional Treatment Facility. He was attending this treatment as part of a probation condition from a previous assault conviction. During this time, he faced personal challenges due to his issues with alcohol.

In November 1986, the events of his life took a serious turn. On November 22, Alice and her sister visited the treatment facility to pick him up. That day, Charles took along a length of electrical wire, claiming he intended to use it for car repairs. His actions during this time would later be closely scrutinized after tragic events unfolded.

Before leaving the treatment facility, Charles fixed a tire on his stepdaughter's bicycle. This was a small act of care that stood in contrast to the events that would later define his life. After picking him up, Alice and Charles went to a nearby home, but their visit was marked by some tension. Charles had a heated exchange with another man regarding rumors of an affair between this man and Alice.

After this interaction, Charles and Alice drove to another location, where he said he wanted to store his tools. They left that place later in the morning, but their time together would end tragically. Charles was seen again later that day, but Alice would not return home. This set off a search that would uncover a dark turn in their lives.

Murder Story

On November 22, 1986, Alice Lydia Smith, a 27-year-old woman, went missing. Her husband, Charles Franklin Smith, was the last person seen with her. Alice had come to pick him up from the Coos County Correctional Treatment Facility, where he was undergoing alcohol therapy. Charles carried a length of electrical wire with him, claiming he intended to fix the muffler on Alice's car.

Later that day, Alice's family became concerned when she did not return home. Friends and family started searching for her. They found her car at a local tavern, with her keys and purse inside. The family reported her missing to the police, and investigators learned that Charles had been the last person seen with her.

On December 20, 1986, a man walking his dogs discovered a body in a remote area near an abandoned dump. The body was partially nude, and the hands and feet were tied with electrical wire. The police later identified the body as Alice Smith. The cause of death was determined to be exposure.

Following the discovery of Alice's body, evidence pointed to Charles. A cigarette butt found near the crime scene matched a brand that he smoked. He was arrested and charged with her murder. The prosecution argued that during an attempted kidnapping, he had unlawfully caused Alice's death by hogtying her and leaving her in the cold.

Charles was convicted of aggravated felony murder on June 26, 1987, and sentenced to death. However, in 1990, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison after a U.S. Supreme Court decision affected his case.